Morikawa Masaaki
Division of Biosphere Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, N10-W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0871, Hokkaido, Japan.
J Biosci Bioeng. 2006 Jan;101(1):1-8. doi: 10.1263/jbb.101.1.
Biofilms are densely packed multicellular communities of microorganisms attached to a surface or interface. Bacteria seem to initiate biofilm formation in response to specific environmental cues, such as nutrient and oxygen availability. Biofilms undergo dynamic changes during their transition from free-living organisms to sessile biofilm cells, including the specific production of secondary metabolites and a significant increase in the resistivity to biological, chemical, and physical assaults. Bacillus subtilis is an industrially important bacterium exhibiting developmental stages. It forms rough biofilms at the air-liquid interface rather than on the surface of a solid phase in a liquid, due to the aerotaxis of the cells. Biofilm formation by B. subtilis and related species permits the control of infection caused by plant pathogens, the reduction of mild steel corrosion, and the exploration of novel compounds. Although it is obviously important to control harmful biofilm formation, the exploitation of beneficial biofilms formed by such industrial bacteria may lead to a new biotechnology.
生物膜是附着在表面或界面上的密集堆积的多细胞微生物群落。细菌似乎会根据特定的环境线索（如营养物质和氧气的可利用性）启动生物膜的形成。生物膜在从自由生活的生物体转变为固着的生物膜细胞的过程中会经历动态变化，包括次生代谢产物的特定产生以及对生物、化学和物理攻击的抵抗力显著增加。枯草芽孢杆菌是一种具有重要工业意义且呈现发育阶段的细菌。由于细胞的趋氧性，它在气液界面形成粗糙的生物膜，而不是在液体中的固相表面形成。枯草芽孢杆菌及相关物种形成生物膜有助于控制植物病原体引起的感染、减少低碳钢腐蚀以及探索新型化合物。虽然控制有害生物膜的形成显然很重要，但利用这类工业细菌形成的有益生物膜可能会带来一种新的生物技术。
